Living life to the fullest will mean different things to different people. For some it could be about building close connections with loved ones, others will pursue activities and hobbies that bring them happiness.
Many of us, however, take our happiness for granted.
We are often too caught up in our routine to even consider that our happiness could be taken away in an instant because of a life-changing injury.
Depending on the severity of an injury, you could need assistance from a carer (this is a global term and refers to rehab assistant / personal assistant / support worker / buddy or work coach according where you happen to be in your journey) just to get by day-to-day.
You might be left feeling that those activities that gave joy and meaning to your life are now out of reach.
At Community Case Management (CCM) our main aim is to help the client step back into their pre-injury lifestyle as far as practicably possible, by increasing independent functioning using a multi disciplinary approach.
As case managers we want to facilitate them to lead a fulfilling life, with choices and opportunities for happiness, wherever they may be found.
This may require us to think outside of the box and come up with innovative ways to implement therapy into an enjoyable activity.
We pride ourselves on delivering outstanding outcomes for our clients using our blend of nursing and therapy skills alongside case management to focus on building a thorough history of our client’s pre-injury lifestyle, culture and education, which is carefully considered and built into their rehabilitation plan, which increases motivation and engagement and reduces mental health deterioration.
We ensure that our clients have realistic expectations as they move along their rehabilitation journey, but it is equally important to encourage them to challenge their perceived limitations.
To be successfully rehabilitated is not to be risk-averse. We are enablers, not disablers.
With careful consideration, risk assessing and planning, we give our clients something to look forward to and plan for, ensuring that they are engaged in shaping their recovery along the way.
Stepping out
It can be incredibly daunting to ‘get back out there’ after a serious injury and we take every step to ensure that this transition runs as smoothly as possible.
In some cases, clients can re-engage with pre-disability activities adapted to help them meet their new goals.
But where this is not possible, we will explore alternative therapeutic pursuits that the client will find meaningful and bring them happiness.
We take all necessary steps to ensure that our clients safely engage with these activities, conducting all of the required care plans and risk assessments.
We also ensure that essentials such as travel insurance and medication plans are accounted for, with all travel itineraries thoroughly researched before the trip.
We regularly take clients and their families on safaris, ski trips and surfing as part of their rehabilitation journey. This includes people with highly complex disabilities, to include those with ventilation needs.
One of our favourite destinations La Ferme Camprond, which is our fully-accessible gite and farmhouse in the heart of Normandy.
Adjacent to the main 17th century farmhouse, the purpose-adapted gite comprises an open-plan, high-level living area with a separate entrance, catering to guests with disabilities.
The ground floor has a double room with specialised amenities, including a profiling double bed, overhead tracking and en suite Aquanova bathing system and wet room.
The disabled-friendly kitchen, meanwhile, features cantilever surfaces and an eye-level oven, conduction hob, washing machine, fridge and other modern appliances, facilitating a fully self-contained living experience.
These facilities ensure that our clients and their families have a home-from-home experience, giving them the confidence and reassurance that they can still travel with a disability.
Transforming outcomes
We know from experience how activities can help deliver amazing rehabilitation outcomes for our clients.
Every year, we take clients on skiing trips. On one occasion, a client came home having increased his signing vocabulary by 50 plus words.
This hidden therapeutic value cannot be replicated in clinics, rehab units or in the community so well.
These experiences help restore confidence, independence and build self-esteem, helping clients reclaim social skills and stay motivated to engage with their rehabilitation.
There is incredible value in spending quality time with a group of likeminded people, enabling lifelong friendships to form, bringing huge quality of life benefits and a sense of community.
One of our clients coined the phrase: “We went away as strangers and came back as friends.”
At CCM we truly believe that “Life is for Living” and we will always endeavour to make such transformative experiences a part of every client’s journey.
Find out more about CCM here.
